1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical connector end face grinding apparatus applied for example for re-grinding the end face of a ferrule of an optical connector with attached optical fiber.
2. Description of Related Art
Generally, optical connectors (connectors with optical fibers attached) are used for connections between devices used by subscribers and devices used by a station. This type of optical connector is a device used for connecting or disconnecting a line and is designed with a structure capable of withstanding 1,000 connection/disconnection operations.
Because an optical connector is repeatedly connected and disconnected, dust existing in the atmosphere adheres to the ferrule end face of the optical connector. The optical fiber suffers minute damage because of this dust, which causes increased connection losses. Once damage has been done to an optical fiber, such losses cannot be reduced even by cleaning the ferrule end face using a cleaning tool and the damage must be repaired by re-grinding the end face of the optical fiber with a grinder.
Furthermore, the location at which connection and disconnection of an optical connector is performed is frequently a narrow, cramped space. Because an optical connector must be removed from a device and re-ground in such narrow, cramped spaces, a small simple, handy type grinding apparatus that is able to perform the grinding operation in such spaces must be used.
A conventional grinding machine used for this purpose has been disclosed, for example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-18691. This kind of conventional grinding machine, however, requires complex mechanisms for the grinding action as the grinding plate makes a planetary movement while inducing incremental phase lag. Problems thus arise because miniaturization is rendered difficult, additional costs are incurred and maintenance becomes more burdensome.